NHL Notes

Boston Bruins defenseman Johnny Boychuk was taken from the ice on a stretcher and sent to a hospital after a first-period hit from behind by Canadiens forward Max Pacioretty on Thursday night in Montreal.

After the game, Coach Claude Julien said Boychuk was released from the hospital and would return to Boston with the team. He had no details of the injury.

“He can travel, but he's not out of the woods yet,” said Julien, adding that he felt the two minutes Pacioretty got for boarding on the play was the correct call.

The game was delayed several minutes as Boychuk was attended to by medical and training staff on the ice before being wheeled off the ice.

Rinne will continue limited physical activity for the next two weeks and, if all goes well, will be able to advance to more strenuous conditioning later in December. Rinne has been sidelined since he had arthroscopic surgery on his left hip Oct. 24 as a result of a bacterial infection.